Range top structure



March 31, 1953 c. J. GIBSON ,633,

RANGE TOP STRUCTURE Filed March 25, 1949 2 sums-41mm 1 v VZQJE INVENTOR.

6 1a BY M @144 .ATIURN'EYS.

March 31, 1953 c. J. GIBSON 2,633,523

' RANGE TOP STRUCTURE Filed March 25, 1949 2 Sl-XEETS-Sl-lEET 2 IN VENTOR.'

I 16M 67w X774 AiTORNEYS.

Patented Mar. 31', .1953

char,

Mich.

Geson. Kir ej. l iii sent-1 on] Refrigerator. Company; Greiiville,

, a corporation of Michigan Application March 25, 1949,-'Serial No: 83,481- 4' oiauii's'z (o1. 2'1"9 27) This invention relates to a range topstructure; more particularly it concerns a range top having formed integrally therewith a reflector pan in which an electric heating element is supported.

An object of theinvention is to provide a range top having reflector pans formed integrally therewith and constructed for effective coopera tion with burners such as electric resistance ele ments of the sheath type Another object is to provide in such a structure an arcuate reflector pan and a spider support therein effectively cooperating with the walls of'the pan to support a burner centered within the pan in a horizontal position.

Still another object-isto provide in combination with a range top having an integrally formed refiector pan, a burner element supported for par-' tial rotation and provided with supports readily removable from the reflector pan; A still further object is to provide a method andmeans for effectively forming a sheetmetaltop in the'form above described throughtheuse of fluid pressure means permitting depressed areas aswell as the top portions of the range top to be coated with porcelain enamel.

By the use of this invention in an electric range;

the large drip tray which normally underlies the range top, may be dispensed -with, freeing for other purposes, suchas enlarging the oven-,the space thus released' in my invention drippings from the material being-cooked areheld in the reflector pan at a pointwherethe-heat ofthe burner will dry themup in most cases.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is shown in illustrative embodiments by the accompanyingdrawings. in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a range top embodying my invention; .Fig. 2, anend- -view in elevation; Fig. 3, an enlarged sectional view of;aportion of the rangetop andreflector' formed therein; Fig. 4, a fragmentary plan vi evsfof arange top showing. a modifiedform of reflector pan; Fig. 4. a side sectional view of the reflector pan of Fig. 4; Fig. 5, a brokensectional view showing portions of the" dieparts and the use of fluid pressure to form a reflector pan ina range top embodying my invention; Fig.5. a broken.- sectional view of another modified form reflectorpan; Fig. 7, a detailed sectional view of a portion of'a reflector pan having'surface' layers of porcelain enamel; and Fig. 8, a perspective view: of a spider supporting element adapted foruse in combination with integrally formed reflector pans shown inothe'r'figures." I uh I In the" Figs" 1-4 urcrusiver I'D desi nates a range top formed ofa single sheet of metal. The sheet is formed with a large opening ll having 9. depending skirt- I2 adapted to receive a deep well cooker. The range top 19 is also provided with three reflector pans; two of these are of medium size and are designated 13-; the third is of a larger size-,as is customary, and is designated [4. As may be seen from Figs. 2 and 3, the reflectorpans l3 and M- in the Fig. 1 form of the invention haveimperfora-te bottoms; Each of the reflector pans 13- andi4 is provided with a small aperture i5 ata point-well up on its rounded side; aperture [5 is formed to admit the neck of a sheath type electric heater element. As may be seen by Fig; 3, the aperture 15 is placed in a position so that the heater element 19 is raised toa position'flush with or slightly above the level of the flat top'p'ortion l6 of-rarige top i when the neck- 2e is-atits normal position in aperture 15. The heating element of burner i9 is held in. the positionjust described by a; spider ll formed, as shown best in Fig.- 8; in athree-leg construction. The individua-ll-egs E8- of spider I! may be formed of heavy wire or other suitable material. In the form shown in the drawings,- the three individual legs- [8 in spider; H are joined together at their common center by welding, the-legs being symmetricallydisposed-at'positions 129 apart. Numerous-other ways of forming spid er I7 will suggest themselves to persons skilled in the art; the

spider l'l fromreflector pan it or it and at the same time a sures. proper centering of spider i? en i i es? ra ri bum 9-,

The under-surface of each of the reflectorpans l3'o'r 4' is provided with a sleeve 25 welded to the pan surface surrounding the lower opening of aperture I5; Sleev 21 receives and provides mechanical sfippoi'tforthe heclr26 of burner l3.

Aperture l5 and the interiorcf sleeve 2! are formed to make a snug fit with neck 20 so as to permit neck- 2 8 to rotate slightly within the re-- flector pan when a moderate amount of force is applied to it from above;

The range top structure just described has several outstanding functional advantages over the range tops heretofore employed in the art. The use of an imperforate reflector pan underneath the electric burner results in concentration of substantially all the generated heat in the pot or other cooking receptacle placed on the burner. Practically none of the heat is allowed to escape into the inner portion of the stove or to be dissipated in the range top itself. In consequence, the maximum operating temperature of the range top is far lower than is customarily found in prior-art ranges and the utilization of the burner heat for cooking is more nearly complete.

Moreover, as has been heretofore mentioned, the imperforate reflector pan serves to trap drippings from the material being cooked. Such drippings are frequently dried up by the heat of the burner, and any residue that may remain can be removed in an extremely simple cleaning operation. Cleaning an old-style range has al- Ways been one of the most diflicult and unpleasant of kitchen tasks. It has been necessary to clean inconveniently located and shaped members associated with the range top proper and in addition to clean the drip pan normally car ried beneath the burners. In a range top made according to my invention, cleaning involves only the partial rotation of the burner l9 and removal of spider ll. The housewife can then easily wipe off the reflector pan with a rag. It is to be noted that there are no corners or inaccessible areas to accumulate grease and hamper the cleaning operation.

I have shown in Figs. 4 and 4 a modified form of reflector 22, having, instead of the central bottom recess, a central opening 22 I prefer the form of the invention shown in Fig. 3, but in certain cases and for certain applications, a reflector pan having a central aperture may be desirable. As is shown in Figs. 4 and 4 such a pan may be integrally formed as a part of range top ill and may be made to cooperate effectively with the supporting spider ii and burner [9, just as in the other forms of my invention.

A still different form of reflector pan is illustrated in Fig. 6. In this structure, the side walls 25 are substantially vertical and the bottom 26, imperforate and substantially flat. A side port 26 provides a receptacle for the neck 26 of burner IS.

The range top and the reflector pans may be formed of a single sheet of metal such as stainless steel, nickel steel, or other suitable metals. I have found that a highly effective range top may be produced by using steel formed in the desired shape and covered with a surface of porcelain enamel. In forming such range tops, I have found it highly important to employ fluid under pressure as a means of pressing metal sheets against a forming die to produce the reflector pans, preferably while the remainder of the range top is clamped between retaining members. I have found that formation of the pans in that manner produces a metal top which is free from internal stresses and hence accordingly able to withstand the high temperature involved in fusing of the enamel without buckling. Range tops have in the past ordinarily been formed by being drawn through mechanical dies, and coating of such range tops with a vitreous enamel layer has been difficult or unsatisfactory because of buckling produced under heat due to the presence of internal stresses in the metal.

I have shown in Fig. 5 a typical fluid pressure operation in which a die member 2?, provided with a depression 28, is used cooperatively with a clamping die 29 to form one of the reflector pans in a metal sheet 30. Pressure fluid such as water or oil, preferably cold, is forced through inlet M extending through the member 29 and under sufficient pressure to force the metal to the position shown in Fig. 5. Such an operation is not new and a detailed description is believed unnecessary. My novel contribution to the art in this respect lies not in the fluid pressure operation per se but in the employment of such a step in formation of a range top coated with vitreous enamel. The formation of the range top by the fluid pressure step is followed, in my method, by applying frit to the surface of the individual sheet including the reflector pans and then fusing the material under high temperature. The end result of my process is a product greatly superior to a range top in which the metal has been drawn mechanically, since the latter process seems invariably to leave internal stresses within the metal. In Fig. '7, the finished sheet 30, including a portion of the reflector pan, is shown covered by fused surface films of enamel 32.

I have found that by the use of the distinctive structure herein disclosed, the peak temperature experienced by the range top is far less for a given size of electric heating element than has been characteristic of prior-art ranges. This improved result is achieved in part by the excellent heat reflection characteristics of the imperforate reflector pan, as already mentioned, and in part by the fact that substantially complete air insulation is provided between the burner is and the range top In, including both the flat portion and the reflector pan thereof. In prior-art ranges the burners have traditionally been supported by rings and associated metal supporting parts which provided a direct path for the conduction of heat from the burner to the range top. The effect of such conduction has been greatly increased temperature of the range top and greatly decreased efiiciency due to heat losses. In my invention, the burner is suspended almost entirely in air, it being in contact with a fixed portion of the stove only along the narrow legs of the spider it and at the point where neck 2|] passes through aperture l5. Thus the path for direct conduction of heat away from burner I9 is greatly lessened in my invention as compared with structures of the prior art. Furthermore, in my constructiona clear path for circulation of air on all sides of my burner is provided. Thus even to the extent that the range top and its reflector pans are heated by the burner I 9, a steady flow of air current serves to carry off such heat and to prevent it from raising substantially the temperature of the metal top.

The greatly superior heat insulation provided by the unique spaced relationship between burner and stove top in my invention permits the use, in a reflector pan of given size, of a substantially larger electric .burner than could otherwise be used.

While in the foregoing specification I have described components of my invention for the purpose of illustration, it will be understood that many variations in matters of detail may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In an electric range, a range top having integrally formed therewith a depressed reflector pan adapted to receive an electric resistance element, said reflector pan having a downwardly extending and generally vertical wall portion and a generally horizontal bottom portion, said vertical portion of the reflector pan being provided with an opening, a coil resistance element in the upper portion of said pan and having a peripheral portion extending downwardly in a generally straight line through said opening, and means for rotatably supporting said straight portion of the resistance element upon said range top for rotation within said opening, said pan having an indentation in its bottom portion below said opening so as to retain substantial amounts of dripcondensate from falling below said pan, and a supporting spider separable from said resistance element and having rounded end portions engaging said walls of said reflector pan and a depending central portion received within said bottom indentation and supported by the bottom of said pan.

2. In an electric range, a range top having a portion thereof drawn downwardly to provide a thin-walled reflector pan with a generally vertical side wall and a generally horizontal bottom wall, said bottom wall being provided With a central opening, a spider having spaced arms extending outwardly and bearing against the side walls of said pan and having portions bent downwardly and received within the Opening of the bottom wall of said pan, a coil resistance element adapted to rest freely upon said spider and having a peripheral portion of the coil extended downwardly and laterally in a generally straight line through a side wall opening in the vertical wall portion of said pan, and means carried by said range top for rotatably supporting said straight portion of the resistance element to permit rotation thereof within said side-wall opening of the reflector pan.

3. In an electric range, a range top provided with a reflector pan integrally drawn therein having a generally vertical side wall extending downwardly and a generally horizontal bottom wall provided centrally with an opening, said side wall being also provided with an opening, a coil resistance element adapted to be supported by a spider in the upper portion of said pan and having a tubular peripheral extension passing in a generally straight line through the opening in the pan side wall, and a bracket support carried by said range top for supporting said tubular extension rotatably within said opening, and a spring spider provided with a downwardly extending portion received within the opening of said bottom wall for support thereon and having spring arm portions terminating in rounded ends bearing against the side wall of said pan, said spider having its lower portion loosely received within said opening of the bottom wall whereby upon partial rotation of said resistance coil, said spider may be separately removed from said pan.

In an electric range, a range top provided with a depressed reflector pan adapted to receive an electric resistance element, said reflector pan having a downwardly-extending and generally vertical wall portion and a generally horizontal bottom portion, said vertical portion of the reflector pan being provided with an opening, a coil resistance element in the upper portion of said pan and having a peripheral portion extending downwardly in a generally straight 'line through said opening, means for rotatably Asupporting said straight portion of the resistance element upon said range top for rotation within said opening, and a supporting spider separable .from said resistance element and having rounded end portions engaging side walls of said reflector pan, said reflector pan having a central, downwardly-spaced area concentric with said spider and receiving a portion of the spider therein, said spider being held in said relation with said downwardly-spaced area by the contact of said rounded end portions with the side wall of said reflector pan.

CHARLES J. GIBSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

, UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

